


The Manny

by ohgrayriver



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Nanny AU, sterek au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-02-15 22:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2246388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohgrayriver/pseuds/ohgrayriver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Derek learns that Laura's gone back to work and hired a nanny, he's pissed off. His displeasure brings him to Beacon Hills and into the life of Stiles Stilinski, the nanny in question.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was posted in bits and pieces on my tumblr (ohgrayriver) in slightly different forms before I decided to rework it and post it here. Here's the first half, no beta, full of misspellings I'm sure.

It’s during a routine Skype call home when Laura lets it slip.

“…and then yesterday in the office Peter thought he could steamroll over me and try to install that damn initiative of his after I’d already turned it down,” she complains, and Derek’s attention is no longer wandering, it’s focused straight in on his sister’s words.

“The office? You’re back at work?” he questions, and he can see Laura wince.

“Yeah, three times a week. The babies are five months now, and I knew I’d have to go back eventually. I mean, we kind of need a Hale in charge at Hale Consulting. Even if I’m technically a Hale-Teller now. And none of us want to hand it over to Peter, right?” she laughs.

“So is Jason staying home with them?” he asks, thinking that there’s no way his brother-in-law can afford to take three days a week off from work managing his restaurant, but not sure who else could possibly be watching his niece and nephew.

“No, of course not. We were lucky enough to find this great nanny who’s amazing with them. He goes to the college, for something boring sounding. But I keep telling him he should be going into early childhood development, because he’s seriously so great with them,” she says, bouncing Miles on her knee. It distracts Derek long enough to gaze at him and wave, but not long enough to keep him from the issue at hand.

“How can you possibly trust some college kid we don’t even know? Why can’t Cora stay with them?”

“Der, I run a security firm. If you don’t think I can run a thorough background check on a nanny, then why am I CEO? And Cora’s taking more classes than she should,  _and_ interning at the firm! If you think you can do a better job, why are you across the country taking rich spoiled yuppies on wilderness expeditions instead of here at home?”

Derek doesn’t answer and Laura sighs. It’s an old, but still sore, topic. “Come home. We miss you,” she says gently, and ends the call.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles isn’t expecting it when a scruffy and scowling man bursts into the house one afternoon. He has Lila in the baby carrier on his chest and Miles is happily gumming something on the play mat on the floor. He’s waltzing around the room with his econ book in his hands because Lila is cranky and demanding movement, but he has a test tomorrow that he has every plan to completely ace and he’s not going to let a bit of teething get in the way of his GPA.

Even with a cranky and teething baby, the job is amazing for a college student trying his damndest to avoid going into too much debt. It means taking some night courses, but spending three days a week with two adorable five month olds (and getting paid extremely well to do so) had been a miracle of a job-find. He still spends the weekends working at the bakery, but this job allows him time to study, which he can’t do while upselling bran loafs.

When his mind comprehends the invader, he lets out a shriek and almost fall backwards. He does manage to hurl the book at the man, which bounces off of his muscled chest and falls to the ground.

The man looks apologetic and darts a hand out to steady him, but Stiles wraps an arm around Lila and backs away.

“Look, the owners of the house run a security firm, so you really should find a new house to rob or nanny to brutalize,” Stiles stutters. Scruffy And Scowling ignores him and, scowl melting, he scoops Miles off of the floor and cuddles him close. He blows a raspberry at the squealing baby before turning back to face a bemused Stiles.

“I’m Laura’s brother Derek. Sorry, I probably should have knocked,” he acknowledges, ducking his head and nuzzling Miles. “How is my amazing little man? You being good? I’ve missed you. Do you even remember me? You remember me?” he asks, voice devolving more and more into baby talk as he speaks. Lila is twisting furiously in her carrier, trying to get a look at the action and yelling in a strident voice. When Stiles finally gathers his wits, he fumbles her out of the carrier and plants her on his hip, facing away from him and toward her uncle.

“Yeah, you probably should have,” he snips. And apparently Stiles is compensating for his shriek and book throwing by being snippy. Lila, the little traitor, is reaching with grabby hands for Derek.

Derek grins and takes her with his free arm. He stands there, face buried in her hair, doing strange things to Stiles’ innards. Then he looks up and gives Stiles a look he can’t quite read.

“Should you really have been reading that book with her in the carrier? You almost tripped when I came in,” he accuses. Stiles inhales sharply and his hands fly to his waist. “I believe the tripping came from the unexpected stranger bursting through the door,” he retorts, cheeks flushing.

“Still. Miles was on the floor, you could have fallen onto him,” Derek continues. Stiles’ flush is spreading from his cheeks, covering more of his face and working it’s way down the stretch of his neck and he’s doing his best to keep from biting this guy’s head off.

They’re staring at each other, a few paces between them, and what even would someone call the color of this guy’s eyes. Stiles realizes the direction of his thoughts and flinches.

“You know, I really should call Laura. I’m not even sure you’re who you say you are,” Stiles says, and the guy gives a barking laugh.

“Yeah, fine. Call her. In fact, tell her you’re going home for the day. I’ll stay with these two,” he responds, hefting the twins higher in his arms and walking toward the couch. Stiles stares after him in shock. The nerve of him, really, the nerve.

 

* * *

 

Laura is still laughing when she gets home from work. Derek is on the living room floor, hair tousled and watching Miles bat at a plush farm set. Lila is asleep next to them in her bouncer, and Derek scowls ferociously and puts a finger to his lips when he hears her come in. She ignores his warning and throws herself down onto him, wrapping him in a hug. Derek smiles in spite of himself, and in spite of Lila’s tentative stirrings. He sits up and returns her hug.

“You idiot. I’m glad you’re here. I’ve missed you so much,” she says into his neck. They pull apart, grinning. “You scared the shit out of my poor nanny. And he’s a good one, Derek, we really like him!” she adds. Derek frowns.

“He wasn’t being particularly safe with them. And I took some vacation time. I’ll be home for two weeks, and I can stay with them,” he says. Laura rolls her eyes and pulls her son into her arms.

“The babies both love Stiles, and when I come home their laundry is done, the house is clean, and dinner is ready. I bet you didn’t make us dinner,” she accuses. “Besides, he’s a student and he counts on this paycheck. I can’t just tell him he has the next two weeks off because my brother unexpectedly showed up. And,” she adds as he opens his mouth to interject, “he’s too proud to take the money and not work for it.” Derek closes his mouth with a snap.

Lila begins to fuss in her seat, and Derek leans over and gathers her into his arms. “You should spend some time with him while he’s with them. He’s really wonderful, Derek, I promise. Jason watched the nanny cam footage every night for the first two weeks, then he got bored because it was all Stiles being amazing with them. And come on, Derek. When was the last time, before this afternoon, that you spent time with any baby, let alone two of them at once? And you want to take on nanny duty for two weeks?”

“Uncle duty. It’s different,” Derek insists. But Laura isn’t fully buying it. Stiles’ call had only come an hour and a half earlier, and Derek already looks frazzled. She reaches forward and swats at his spit up stained shoulder.

“You’re their uncle whether you’re here or not. They’re going to love you regardless.” Instead of responding, Derek focuses on settling Lila onto the floor in front of him, a handful of toys within easy reach. “Okay, look. I’m not going to furlough Stiles for two weeks. It wouldn’t be fair to him. But I’ll let him know you’ll be here, spending time with us and the babies. You can get to know him, see that he’s not some random stranger to us anymore.”

“I just… it worries me. How can you be sure you can trust him?”

“Der, not everyone is Ka-,” she cuts herself off when she sees Derek’s eyes go distant at the mention of her name and takes a deep breath. “Not everyone has ulterior motives. Stiles is a good guy. I know it’s hard, to trust, but we did everything we could to check him out. He’s good.”

Derek shrugs his shoulders and moves a plastic toy bus closer to Lila. “Hey. You’re good, too. I really am glad you’re here,” Laura says.

Derek finally meets her eyes at this, and lets a small smile cross his face.

Frankly, Laura thinks he’d last two days at the most alone with the twins before running back to his rich men in the wilderness.

 

* * *

 

Stiles is pretty sure the disapproving pinch of his lips is making Derek nervous, but he really doesn’t care. He thinks back to his phone conversation last night with Laura.

“Um, okay, I mean, that’s fine. It’s, I mean, I just… are you… am I not doing a good job?” he hears himself ask, and winces.

“No, no, no! Stiles! We love you, the babies love you! You are an absolutely amazing nanny. We’re lucky to have you,” she says, voice going soft. “No, it’s not you at all. It’s just that Derek wants to spend some time with his niece and nephew, but if I’m being honest, I’m not sure he’d be able to handle them for more than an hour a day. I really should actually give you a bonus at the end of all of this because I’m sure you’ll end up babysitting him as he tries to babysit them,” she sighs into the phone.

But back to the present, where Derek is carefully unsnapping Miles’ onesie. He looks confident, or is at least faking it well, until he pushes the onesie up around the baby’s middle and reaches to undo the dirty diaper.

“What,” he hears him whisper, almost to himself. Stiles tries not to roll his eyes. Derek turns and shoots him a look of confusion. “I don’t… I’ve never changed one like this,” he says, and Stiles can’t help it, he knows his face is clearly showcasing his derision. At least it is, until Stiles takes a step closer and sees the prefold diaper snapped in place on Miles. He wonders if Laura did this on purpose, and decides almost immediately that yes, yes she did.

“Okay, they usually use BumGenius cloth diapers. This is an old school cloth diaper, though. I guess it’s what got grabbed in the morning rush,” he says, and this time the twist to his lips is all for Laura.

He walks Derek through changing the diaper and snapping the new one in place. It takes longer than it would if he were changing the diaper himself, but Derek is gentle and takes the time to reassure Miles throughout the process. Stiles doesn’t have the heart to tell him that Miles loves having his diaper changed and it’s Lila he’ll learn to dread changing.

Stiles tries to ignore the way Derek’s muscles bunch as he lifts Miles into the air and kisses at the baby’s plump stomach. Miles squeals and kicks a foot out, catching Derek under the chin. He also tries to ignore the way Derek’s eyes light up as he settles Miles against his side.

He follows them out into the living room, not sure what to do now that Lila’s napping and Derek’s taken control of Miles. It was easier this morning when he first arrived. There was always lots to do, the twins adjusting to Mom and Dad not being around, morning bottles, diaper changes, and outfit changes when diaper changes just wouldn’t cut it.

But now, things have calmed down. Miles should be napping any second, is well on his way, if the way his head is drooping into Derek’s chest is any indication. And this is when Stiles would usually start a load of laundry before studying. But now Derek’s in the mix, and Stiles isn’t sure what he’s supposed to do when there aren’t babies clamoring for their attention.

So he hovers nervously at the edge of the living room while Derek settles onto the couch with Miles lying on his chest. And really, is that fair? He’s pretty sure if he had ovaries they would currently be exploding, and oh great he just tilted his head down to rest his stubbly cheek against the baby’s head is Stiles even still standing upright?

Derek eventually looks up, and Stiles is still standing there awkwardly, trying not to stare at him.

“You can study, if you need to. I- Laura told me you’re a student. So. You can study. If you need to. I’m fine here,” Derek says quietly and Stiles nods dumbly. When Derek raises his eyebrows a moment later, Stiles realizes he’s still standing there nodding.

“Yeah, um. I do. Thanks. I’ll just-” and he turns and walks into the den for his backpack, resolving to focus on information science for the next hour while the twins nap. And not Derek. He’s not going to think about Derek at all.

Which is a noble goal, but for the first time, Stiles slows down and examines the framed pictures on the fireplace mantel. If he’s honest with himself, he’s looking for confirmation that Derek hasn’t always been as gorgeous as he is now. But what he finds is that while Derek was slightly awkward, it’s nothing near the amount of awkward that Stiles was as a teenager. And there’s also a relatively recent picture of Derek with his arms wrapped around a pale dark haired woman, his mouth pressed to her hair. So okay, he’s into girls. That’s- that’s some information, all right.

Stiles ignores the sinking feeling in his stomach and pulls out his textbook and a highlighter with a determined set of his mouth.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s been hours since Laura came home and Stiles left, and Derek still isn’t sure exactly what happened. He’s sitting on the back deck with Jason, trying to enjoy a beer and the sunset with his brother in law, and all he can think about is the way Stiles had calmly led him through changing a diaper. How he guffawed with laughter when Derek jumped back from the bottle Stiles held out to him when he realized it was his sister’s breast milk in the bottle and not formula. How his face had slowly began to close off as the day wore on. How he had all but stormed out of the house as soon as he’d finished running the day down for Laura. The glare Laura had leveled at him as soon as Stiles left the house.

“…and I told her I wasn’t allowed to go alone to Sam’s Club anymore. Have you looked in the pantry? It’s terrifying, now that the shopping haze has faded,” Jason laughs. Derek stops gazing at the beer bottle in his hand and laughs along with him. He’s trying to think of something to say that doesn’t involve Stiles when Jason gets to his feet.

“I’d better start the grill. Would you mind checking on the kids?”

“Not at all,” he smiles, and heads into the house. He makes his way to the living room, where Miles is studiously banging a giraffe figurine against a leg of the coffee table. Lila is sitting next to him, a ring of plastic keys hanging from her mouth. Laura is sitting cross legged next to them, frowning down at her phone.

“Something wrong?” Derek asks, settling onto the couch.

She lifts her gaze to fix on him. “Yeah, something’s wrong. What did you do to Stiles today?”

Derek frowns back at her. “I didn’t do anything! What, is he texting you? Is he… _tattling_ on me?” Derek asks, annoyance rising in his chest.

“What? No! Of course not, he’s not that kind of guy. But Lydia is that kind of woman, and she says he came home from work in a bad mood and won’t talk to her about it. So fess up. What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything,” he protests, but Derek is distracted by the knowledge that Stiles is living with some woman named Lydia. And really, it shouldn’t matter, Stiles is just the inept nanny and nothing more. But still, the knowledge grates at him.

Laura is staring at him, an unimpressed look on her face. “Right.”

Derek huffs an indignant sigh and crosses his arms. “Really, I didn’t do anything. I thought- at least, the beginning of the day went okay. He even helped me change a diaper,” he offers. Laura’s face crinkles and straightens almost instantaneously. Lila chooses this moment to whack Miles with her set of keys. Before he can even open his mouth to wail, Laura gathers him into her arms and begins rubbing his back in soothing circles. She doesn’t stop scrutinizing Derek, though.

He stands, grabs Lila, and retreats back to the porch away from Laura’s accusing eyes. 

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles is doing his best to focus on the customers in front of him and not worry about how low the stock of cherry muffins is getting because he’s currently working the counter and it’s Isaac’s job to check on the stock. Which he hasn’t been. Who even knows what he’s doing back there in the kitchen, probably drawing pictures in the flour, because he certainly hasn’t been baking muffins.

But honestly, he’s focusing on the customers, making small talk, laughing and smiling and upselling Isaac’s experimental scones until he looks up and notices that Derek’s just walked in and isn’t that great.

He can feel his smile freezing on his face, and it takes a monumental effort to thaw out and keep his smile genuine.

“Okay, Marge, one cherry muffin and one oat loaf! You’ll love the muffin, I promise,” he says with a grin, sliding Marge’s bag down the counter toward Danny, working register.

Derek hasn’t even noticed him yet. He’s too busy studying the bakery case, taking in the various pastries kept within. And it’s okay, Stiles spent the night convincing himself that it was an entirely bad idea to form a crush on another straight guy, especially one who was related to his incredibly wonderful and understanding employer. Lydia had fumed on the other side of the door, furious that he wouldn’t discuss whatever was going on with her, but he really didn’t want to see her pitying face when he spilled the issue. It was enough that she knew about the last two straight guys he’d pined after, he didn’t want to add a third to the list.

So he isn’t pining. There is no interest. Derek is just a guy. An insanely hot guy. Who loves his niece and nephew. And changes diapers with adorable concentration. And asks considerate questions of him. And no, just no. He’s just a guy, full stop.

A guy who is now walking up to the counter, not looking up yet, still intent on the pastry case.

“Hi, can I have-” Derek finally glances up and his words halt when he sees Stiles behind the counter. Stiles grins feebly, and is taken aback at Derek’s scowl, reminiscent of the day they met.

“Hi, Derek. What can I get for you?” Stiles asks, ignoring Danny’s probing gaze. Derek looks back down at the pastries, then back up at Stiles.

“I didn’t know this was the bakery you worked at,” he finally says.

“It’s the only one in town,” Danny says, leaning his body toward them. Somehow, Derek is now the only person in line and this of course leaves Danny free to butt into his life. Nothing new.

Derek’s scowl deepens at Danny’s remark, and Danny raises his eyebrows at Stiles. Stiles shakes his head.

“Um, the scones are really good today. I recommend the peppered pear and goat cheese if you’re looking for something savory, and the cranberry lime if you have a sweet tooth,” he says with the same inflection he uses for any new customer.

Derek studies the case for a few more seconds while Danny’s eyebrows are doing some kind of dance on his forehead. Stiles makes eye contact with him, then violently slashes at the air in a ‘No, stop, you idiot,’ motion and manages to whack the tray of blueberry bread samples to the ground, startling the three of them out of their various states. They’re now staring at the mess scattered around Derek’s feet, and this is the moment Isaac chooses to barge out of the kitchen with a pan of cherry muffins in each hand.

“Muffin refresh- oh,” he sighs. “Stiles. Of course,” he mutters. Stiles whips around to face him.

“That very well could have been Danny,” he protests. Danny just slants an amused glance at him, and Isaac has the nerve to scoff. With an indignant noise, Stiles storms into the back to grab a broom.

In the few moments it takes him to make his way back to the front, the muffins have been artfully arranged in the case, Isaac is smiling charmingly at everyone who walks in, and Danny is ringing up customers with his usual ease and show of dimples. Derek is nowhere to be seen. Because of course.

 

* * *

 

 

Derek is walking down the street, keeping his head down and trying not to think back to what an idiot he made of himself in the bakery. Why isn’t he capable of being a normal human being? Instead he turns into Statue McScowl, as Cora calls it, and there’s only so much of it he can blame on his past. And his current job. Being stoic and growly is what the rich men he babies through the wilderness expect of him, along with the flannel shirts and heavy boots he constantly wears now. But it doesn’t do him much good now that he’s back in the world and away from the remote cabin where he lives in between expeditions.

He’s not sure how it happened, how the nanny he came here to scare away became someone scaring him away, but there it is. With his moles and sinful mouth and smiling eyes and the sweet way he takes care of Miles and Lila and it makes Derek wish he knew how to interact with people that weren’t paying him to make their midlife crises feel distant and far away.

Not that it matters, because Stiles lives with some girl named Lydia and even if he weren’t with her, and interested in guys, he’s probably not into the social recluse kind. Probably doesn’t want someone with the amount of baggage that Derek still drags around.

When he reaches Laura’s house, he tells her he couldn’t find the bakery.

 

* * *

 

 

Laura meets Stiles at the door the next morning, Lila in her arms and a concerned look on her face.

Stiles, in turn, greets her with a grin and a boxful of cranberry crunch muffins. Laura’s face immediately brightens, and she grabs the muffins while Stiles grabs Lila.

“You’re the best, the absolute best, Stiles! We already love you, and I would say there’s no need to keep bribing us with muffins, but let’s be honest. These muffins are amazing and you should definitely keep bribing us,” she says over her shoulder as she heads into the kitchen. Stiles follows her with a laugh.

“Well, after Derek came into the bakery and left without buying anything yesterday, I thought you might be having a craving,” he says lightly, leaning a hip against the kitchen island. Laura throws him a disgusted look, and Stiles has a brief flash of fear, wondering if he’s finally said the wrong thing and Laura’s about to fire him, which is, if he’s honest, the moment he’s been bracing for since she hired him. But no, Laura lets out a loud sigh and bites dramatically into a muffin. He hides his relief by burying his face in Lila’s hair.

“That dumb brother of mine. He said he couldn’t find the bakery. What the hell is going on with you two? Was he rude to you on Friday? Lydia said you turned into a hermit when you got home,” she accuses.

Stiles doesn’t even try to hide his annoyance. “Are you kidding me,” he intones and stomps into the living room with Lila. He sets her on the floor among her toys and turns to face a curious Laura, who has followed him with her muffin in hand.

“Look, I love Lydia, and I love you, and I love that the two of you meddled in my life long enough to get me this job. But just because I live with your VP of marketing doesn’t mean the two of you can constantly discuss me behind my back. Derek was fine, he was perfectly polite on Friday. He’s good with your kids and he was considerate and let me study when the twins were down for a nap. We got along fine,” he finishes just as Derek comes down the stairs with Miles on his hip.

Derek is sleep scruffy, his hair standing in a million directions, and his stubble is more pronounced. A pair of sweat pants are hanging low on his hips, and Stiles has to swallow hard because hot damn he’s not wearing a shirt and that should either be illegal or it should be illegal for Derek to ever wear a shirt, Stiles isn’t sure yet. Derek meets his eyes and goes still.

Laura spends a moment looking back and forth between them, says, “Huh,” then takes a large bite of her muffin. Derek gives his sister a hesitant smile and makes his way over to deposit Miles in her arms.

Stiles stands awkwardly off to the side, wondering where he fits into the scene of sibling beauty. The tableau doesn’t last long though, because Laura is piercing Derek with her gaze.

“The bakery. The one you couldn’t find yesterday? Yeah. These muffins are from there. Stiles brought them. Because he’s awesome. As are these muffins. You should go get one,” she says, watching as Derek’s face slowly turns beet red, starting at the ears which shouldn’t be adorable but it totally is and Stiles begins to hate himself a little.

Derek grabs Miles back and makes his way shirtlessly by Stiles and into the kitchen without making any eye contact. Stiles watches after him for a second too long, then whips his gaze back to Laura. Who is eyeing him with a wicked glint.

“I, um.” He walks over and picks Lila up. Laura walks toward the door, grabbing her briefcase and purse off of the coffee table. She opens the door and breezes through, stopping long enough to casually say, “He’s single,” over her shoulder before closing the door behind her.

Stiles is pretty sure that’s what she said anyway, and his knees are feeling a little funny. It’s entirely possible that Derek is bi and Stiles has a chance, but he doesn’t want to examine that chance too closely because he doesn’t need the disappointment that will inevitably follow if he shows any interest in the heart-shatteringly beautiful Derek.

He slowly heads into the kitchen. Miles greets him and Lila with happy babbling from his high chair. Stiles glances over at Derek, who’s leaning heavily against the counter and staring down at the box of muffins as if they’ve personally betrayed him. He’s still shirtless, because apparently Stiles needs more awkward boners in his life.

Stiles settles Lila into her own high chair next to Miles and sets about prepping their morning bottles. Derek stays motionless and silent at the counter, contemplating the muffins. When both bottles in the warmers, Stiles sidles up to the counter and carefully takes a muffin. Derek’s attention flicks to Stiles for a minute, then back down to the muffins.

“You uh, could eat one. I mean. You could keep staring at them, too, but they might taste better if you actually eat one,” Stiles says with a careful smile. Derek looks up at him, eyes wide, and Stiles would probably stand there forever if the bottle warmers didn’t begin beeping at him.

He makes his way over to them and grabs both bottles, but then Derek is next to him, taking one of the botles and smiling shyly. “I’ll take Lila,” he says, and unhooks her straps before scooping her up and settling down at the table with her in his lap. Stiles does the same with Miles and they sit there, in silence, feeding the twins until Stiles reaches his breaking point.

“So, tell me about yourself, Derek. What do you do besides burst in on terrified mannies?”  
“Mannies?” Derek asks incredulously, lips quirking.

Stiles shakes his head. “Yeah, mannies. I’m a manny. A male nanny. Don’t avoid the question. What do you do?”

Derek tilts his head, considering the question before answering. “I’m a guide for an outdoor expedition company. In North Carolina,” he answers.

Stiles’ head jerks back. “You’re a guide? What does that mean?”

Derek sighs. “Laura and Cora say I’m a tour guide for rich people. Which is pretty much true. I’m the go-to guy for hiking and backpacking trips. That means for four days a week I’m out there with a bunch of people who probably shouldn’t be out on a mountain,” he explains.

“That’s… that’s really neat, actually,” Stiles says. “I used to camp, when I was a kid. My best friend and I were in Boy Scouts for a while, did the whole wilderness thing during the summers,” he smiles.

Derek smiles back at him. “So, what about you? Besides being a manny, I mean. I know you work at the bakery, but what are you in school for?”

Stiles laughs. “Information science. I’d like to be a research librarian, eventually,” he says, and Derek nods. There’s a minute of silence and Stiles decides to jump in. “So? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?” he asks, averting his gaze from Derek and looking down at Miles as he slurps at the last of the milk in his bottle.

“Ah… no. No girlfriend. Or boyfriend,” Derek responds, and Stiles’ heart jumps in his chest. “You?” Derek asks carefully.

“No, definitely no boyfriend here. Tragically and forever alone, that’s me,” he says, and sits Miles up and waits for him to burp. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Derek do the same with Lila. Miles catches sight of Lila and begins to gurgle happily and reach toward her.

They take the twins into the living room and place them on their playmat, surrounded by colorful toys and stuffed animals. Instead of playing with any of these, they lean into each other and babble seriously.

Stiles and Derek settle onto the floor nearby and take turns sneaking glances at each other while the babies play. After an awkward few minutes, Stiles scoots toward Lila and starts playing peek-a-boo. When Lila is laughing too hard to keep sitting up, Stiles glances at Derek and tries not to swoon at the tenderness on his face.

“Uh, it’s object permanence. They don’t have it yet. Babies, I mean. They’re just starting to figure it out around now. So when I hide behind my hands, she thinks my face is missing,” he says with a grin.

Derek’s eyes slide from Lila up to meet Stiles’. “How do you know that?” he questions.

Stiles ducks his head, taking Lila’s hands and sitting her back up. “I read up on development after I got the job. I try to find activities to do with them that’ll stimulate that stuff,” he says. When he looks back up, Derek is staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Stiles turns his attention back to Lila who’s hard at work crawling over toward her twin brother.

“I’m sorry,” Derek blurts out, and Stiles whips his head back around toward him, mouth falling open. Derek looks pained. “What?” Stiles asks dumbly.

“I’m sorry. I came here ready to hate you. Actually, I came here to get rid of you. I… I didn’t think anyone could look after them as well as family could,” Derek admits.

“I don’t understand. People hire childcare all the time,” he says. “Plus your sister runs a freaking security firm,” he adds.

“I know, I know! It’s just. I have a hard time… trusting people,” he grits out. “I don’t know how much you know about my family,” he says hesitantly. Stiles shakes his head, looking confused.

“My parents. And my brother. They, uh… they were killed. Eight years ago,” Derek says slowly. Stiles eyes widen and he feels his chest getting tight. Sympathy. Empathy. Dismay.

“It was my fault,” Derek adds. Stiles waits for him to continue, but he doesn’t. He seems stuck after those words.

“I… what do you mean, your fault?” Stiles finally asks. Derek huffs out a sigh and works his jaw back and forth before going on.

“I was dating a woman. She was, uh,” he stops and swallows. “She was a lot older than me. I was 16. She was… 26,” he says. “It wasn’t a good relationship. Wasn’t healthy, I mean. I didn’t realize it then. Not until after. When we were together, everything was perfect. I… I thought I really loved her. And that she loved me. When my parents found out, they were… they were really angry. Not at me, but at her. They were great with me. Got me into therapy. Filed a restraining order against her. But uh, she was persistant.”

Stiles’ stomach has been sinking as Derek talks. “You uh, you don’t have to tell me this, Derek,” he says softly.

“But I want to. I… I want to,” Derek answers. He pauses for a second, takes a deep breath. “My parents were taking Adam- my brother, he was ten. They were taking him to a birthday party. There was a car accident. The brakes failed and they ran a red light, got hit by a truck. It was- they were all dead by the time the EMTs got there. She had tampered with the brake line. I-” Derek breaks off, looks at the ceiling.

Stiles is chewing on his lip, not sure what he should do. He wants to lean into Derek, wrap his arms around him and tell him how sorry he is. But he’s not sure Derek would accept that from him. So when Derek stays silent, Stiles clears his throat. “None of that sounds like your fault. I’m gonna, I’m gonna take the twins, put them down for their nap,” he says, standing up and gathering the sleepy twins in his arms. He’s halfway up the stairs when he hears him, a quiet, “Thank you.” He pauses on the stairs, then continues up.

The twins settle down easily, falling asleep with no issue. Stiles collapses in the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery and buries his face in his hands. His mind is spinning, his chest hurts, and he doesn’t know what to do now. So he settles for the coward’s path, and does nothing. He stays in the chair, listening to the quiet breathing of the twins, and tries not to cry.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Derek keeps his eyes on the ceiling, willing the tears not to fall. It's not a story he tells often. Or at all. He's still not sure why he told it this time. To Stiles, of all people. He had just wanted to apologize, to explain his behavior, but it kept coming out, all of it, and now that it's over and done, he feels- not as wrecked as he thought he would feel.

He knows deep down that it's not his fault. His therapist, Laura, and Cora- they all told him often enough. But it's easier to have someone to blame, someone other than Kate. She had committed suicide by cop during her arrest, waving a gun and lunging at the arresting officer, and he still aches from the answers he'll never get from her. Like... why. Mostly just why.

But none of that explains why he'd just blurted it all out to Stiles. The manny he'd come here ready to hate and send packing. He doesn't want to like Stiles. Doesn't want to like the way he's so gentle with his niece and nephew. The way he talks with his hands. The way his eyes sparkle when he's explaining something. The flush he gets on his cheeks and neck when he thinks he's done something embarrassing. His lanky limbs. His ridiculous mouth.

And before his mind can even really go there, he wills it to redirect. Because he's not here for that. Not at all. He's here to spend time with his sisters and bond with his niece and nephew.

Not to fall for the manny.

 

* * *

 

Stiles is working on an essay when Scott pushes through the apartment door.

“Dude, what's going on with you? Lydia called me and said you've been acting weird all week. I mean I know I'm busy, but you can totally call me and talk if something's going on,” he says in one breath, closing the door behind him and vaulting over the back of the couch to land besides Stiles.

Stiles rearranges himself and his laptop with a small huff, glaring at Lydia's closed bedroom door.

“I'm fine. Lydia is overreacting, as always,” Stiles answers. Scott lets his head flop to the side, eyeing Stiles critically.

“No,” he says slowly, “there's something up with you.” He nudges Stiles with his shoulder. “C'mon. Spill,” he continues.

Stiles sighs exaggeratedly and closes his laptop. “Honestly, it's nothing. Laura's brother is in town and he's been helping with the twins while I'm there,” he says. “He was- I mean- yeah, it's nothing,” he stutters.

Scott seizes upon this and raises his eyebrows theatrically. “Is he hot? I mean, Laura's hot. In the best most intimidating way possible,” he says with a small shiver. Stiles does his best not to smile, but judging from Scott's face, he's not successful. “Yeah, man! Are you two, is there anything there?”

Stiles thinks back to the semi-awkward afternoon they'd spent together after Derek's revelation. Shy smiles and focusing on the babies had gotten them through, but Stiles was a little unsure what tomorrow would look like between them. So he tilts his head and considers this.

“I'm not sure. I mean, maybe? There could be. But he lives across the freaking country. I don't want... I don't want to start something and then have him leave. And I couldn't do something casual. Not with him,” he sighs, and Scott's eyes widen.

“Oh. Okay, man.” They sit in silence for a few minutes. Stiles is just beginning to itch, to need to move or talk, when Scott speaks again. “Pizza?”

“Hell yeah, buddy!” They high-five, and Scott reaches for his phone. Stiles grins over at him, marveling at how Scott always knows exactly when to push him and exactly when to pull back. He hadn't even been aware of the weight that Derek's confession and very presence had put on him, but with Scott at his side, it feels lighter.

 

* * *

 

Derek pushes his peas around on his plate, and feels a perverse sense of satisfaction when Laura doesn't notice him tucking them into the remnants of his mashed potatoes. All evidence of peas hidden, he lets his gaze fall from Laura, and catches Cora's knowing eyes and breaks into a grin. It's nice, sitting around a table with his family, and enjoying a dinner together.

He's still grinning when Laura starts talking, but the grin quickly fades away.

“So, Stiles left here a lot more sedately today. Less bat of out bell than usual since you've been here. What's that about, Derek?”

Derek's mouth is pinched into a grimace, but Cora raises an eyebrow. “He's been harassing the manny? I never would have guessed,” she deadpans around a mouthful of porkchop.

“Right? Anyway. Back to the question. Derek. Huh? Huh?” Larua's wiggling her eyebrows, and Derek lets his face go blank. Cora is looking at him with interest, but thankfully Jason seems oblivious, happily eating his dinner. Unthankfully, he's the only person at the table that believes Derek's life should be his own.

“This is why I live across the country,” he mutters.

“You like him though, right?” Laura eggs him on. Derek shrugs, wishing he were anywhere but this table.

“He shrugged! That means they're practically married in Derek-speak!” Cora exclaims, looking much more interested in the conversation. She and Laura share pleased noises with one another and Derek wonders, again, why his sisters are so invested in his personal life.

“Please, guys. Just... don't,” he sighs. His sisters trade glances and share a smile.

“I always thought Stiles was kind of a pain in the ass, but if you like him, who am I to judge?” Cora smirks.

“Usually the first,” Dere retorts. “Seriously, just drop it,” he begs.

“Not a chance, Derek,” Laura sing-songs. “What did you two do today?” she questions.

“You really wanna know?” Derek asks, a warning in his voice. Laura ignores the warning, and nods.

“I told him. About Kate. About the accident. And it got weird and I don't know where to go from here but yeah, yeah I like him, okay? But I'm socially inept and not sure what happens next with him because I live in fucking North Carolina and he lives here and I'm going to bed,” he growls, and stands up from the table. Laura and Cora are both staring at him with open-mouthed shock.

Jason finally looks up. “Whoa, Der, you done?” Derek just glares at them all and heads upstairs. He doesn't stomp, though. His niece and nephew are sleeping, and as mad and frustrated as he is with Laura and Cora, he wouldn't take it out on Lila and Miles.

Once he's in the guest room, he sinks onto the bed and sighs. He's been all over the place today emotionally, ever since he told Stiles. Right after, he felt- not good, but a sense of relief.

But then Stiles had stayed with the twins through their nap, and panic began to creep in. Maybe he shouldn't have shared as much. Maybe it had overwhelmed Stiles and he was avoiding him. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

When Stiles had finally come down, carrying the twins, the atmosphere was tentative and careful between them. Stiles had smiled, hadn't avoided his gaze, but the ease of the morning, the give-and-take of those questions, it was gone. And Derek had felt a little lost.

So now he's sitting with his head in his hands and hoping he looked fierce enough when he left that neither of his sisters will follow him.

Of course he hadn't, because as soon as he's finished with the thought, in comes Cora with a worried look on her face. Derek heaves a sigh, but scoots over so she has room to settle beside him on the bed.

“Der...” she says helplessly. Derek doesn't have it in him to scowl at her, so he just keeps his head down and his eyes focused on the floor.

He's a little surprised that it's Cora, and not their older sister, sitting next to him right now. He and Laura have always been closer, even back before. Cora had only been 13 when it happened, and she hadn't exactly been the most friendly or outgoing girl then. Not that Derek remembers much about her then- he had been 16, and so wrapped up in his own life that his little sister didn't register much on his radar. Afterwards, though, when they moved in with Uncle Peter, Cora had been angry and resentful and prickly. How much of that was her blaming everything on Derek and how much was her just being a teenager, he was never quite sure.

Peter had never been the most stable adult, but after the death of his sister, he gave up any pretense of normalcy. He'd spent most of his days closed in his room, ignoring the two bewildered and miserable teenagers he'd inherited. It wasn't until Laura came home after her sophomore year at college and saw how they'd been living since the funerals that things changed. She transferred from Stanford to the local university, moved them out of Peter's bachelor lair and back into their house, and forced them to start weekly family therapy. He's still in awe of her, earing her MBA, taking over the business, and raising him and Cora to be mostly functioning adults.

Cora is just sitting quietly next to him, letting him grapple with his thoughts and emotions. A few more moments go by, and then Derek raises his gaze to her and sighs. She tentatively leans into him, resting their shoulders together.

“You're brave,” she says. He quirks an eyebrow. “No, I mean it. I couldn't- I mean, I still have trouble telling people. And I know it's harder for you,” she says, voice almost a whisper at the end.

He throws an arm around her, and they sit in a companionable silence. Until she wrenches away from him.

“But you don't have to be such a dick to Laura. She just wants you to be happy. And you know, right after she interviewed Stiles, she called me and told me she'd met someone for you if you'd ever come home. So it's not like she's trying to be mean. She's just trying to help. Like she always has,” Cora says, eyes blazing.

Derek's head is swimming a bit at Cora's abrupt turn, but he does his best to keep up and shakes his head at her.

“I didn't mean... it's hard, Cora. I'm just- I'm bad at it, the whole people thing. And I like this guy and it kind of scares me,” he admits.

Cora leans into him heavily, then stands up. “If he doesn't like you, he's an idiot,” she states, and leaves the room. Derek smiles after her.

 

* * *

 

Stiles is pretty sure that showing up to his manny gig a bit hungover is probably poor form, but there's nothing he can do about that now. Mentally cursing last-night-Stiles-and-Scott, he knocks on Laura and Jason's front door and tries to prepare himself for the day. Jason opens the door a second later and hands him a fussy Lila. He's fumbling his phone into his pocket and detaching her fist from her hair.

“Thanks Stiles! Miles is upstairs with Derek in the nursery and I am already late for an appointment with a supplier,” he yells behind him as he rushes out the door.

“Um. Okay,” Stiles winces, and holds Lila out away from his body when she begins to shriek after her dad. Stiles eases all the way into the house and closes the door behind him. Lila's face is turning an interesting shade of plum as she hollers after Jason, and Stiles finally sets her on the floor near her toys while he shrugs out of his backpack and hopes the aspirin and coffee kick in soon.

He spends a second staring down at her scrunched angry face, but bends down to gather her in his arms before the cries reach atomic levels.

“Hey, Lila-bean. I know, Daddy went to work and everything is horrible, right? Nah, it's okay. I'm here, and Uncle Derek is here, and Miles is here, and oh God none of this is working, is it? Okay. Time for the big guns. You're really going to force me to do this, aren't you? Fine, here goes nothing,” he sighs, and begins to sing.

“I've never seen a diamond in the flesh... I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies,” he warbles, and just like always, Lila quiets down and stares at him with wide-eyed fascination.

Stiles is really getting into it, spinning in careful circles and belting louder and louder.

“And we'll never be royals,” he caterwauls and almost drops Lila in shock when he hears an echo of the last word crooned from the stairs. He recovers himself and turns to see Derek walking down shyly with Miles. It shouldn't shock him this much, seeing Derek- Stiles knew he was in the house, he thought he was prepared for the day, but his heart is beating faster and holy crap he's forgotten the next words to the song.

Lila is staring up at him expectantly, waiting for the next part of the magical stop-crying song. When it doesn't come, she whacks Stiles on the arm and grunts demandingly. Stiles looks down at her in a panic.

“Sorry Lila but your uncle is devastatingly handsome and also surprisingly sweet and tender,” is what he wants to say but he manages to keep that to himself. Now Derek is also staring at him, waiting for the song to continue. Stiles feels a full body blush coming on.

“It don't run in our blood,” Derek sings helpfully.

Embarrissingly thankful, Stiles jumps back into the song. “That kinda luxe just ain't for us,” he continues, and this time Derek is singing along with him, dancing closer with Miles in his arms.

When the sing-along ends, Derek smiles. “I heard her screaming before you started singing. Nice distraction,” he says.

“Yeah, most people scream when I start singing. Lila loves that song, though.”

There's an awkward pause where they just stand there, feet from each other, each lightly swaying the baby in their arms. Derek finally clears his throat and moves toward the kitchen. “Breakfast time?” he asks Stiles. Stiles nods gratefully and follows after him.

The rest of the morning passes slowly. They feed the twins, then sit with them in the backyard on a blanket and a handful of toys until naptime.

Then the twins are alseep and it's just the two of them standing in the living room and Stiles can't figure out what to do with his hands.

“I, uh, I wanted to apologize about yesterday. If I overshared. Or made things weird. I just- I'm sorry,” Derek stutters out and collapses onto the couch.

Stiles' eyes widen. “No, dude, not at all. I mean. Yeah, it was a lot. But I'm glad you shared it with me. Thank you for trusting me with all that,” he says, trying his hardest not to flail too much as he sits down next to Derek on the couch.

“I don't have a lot of friends,” he says abruptly, and Stiles isn't exactly sure what to do with that, but if he's honest with himself, he's not surprised. Derek doesn't have the best people skills, but it seems rude to mention that.

“So I don't talk. About it. Or much of anything, really,” he admits, and glances over at Stiles. Stiles shrugs. “It would be rude to say I could guess that, right?” he says and immediately regrets it. Until Derek lets out a surprised laugh.

“Not that I don't have any friends. There are some other guides that I'm friendly with. But most of the time it's easier to be alone,” he adds.

Stiles nods in understanding. “After my mom died,” he says, then stops and swallows. “After she died, I didn't want to talk to anyone about it. I pushed everyone away and I probably would have lost all my friends. But my best friend, Scott? He wouldn't let me. The harder I pushed, the harder he hung on. And now, I'm glad. But I know what you mean. Sometimes it's easier to be alone,” he says.

“I'm sorry,” Derek says. “About your mom.”

“Me too,” Stiles says with a sad smile. He clears his throat and attempts a happier look. “So when you're not hiking around with middle aged guys, what do you do?”

“I... I'm not very interesting,” he says almost apologetically. “I like history. Reading about it, watching documentaries. And gardening, I guess. I have a small plot at my cabin,” he says.

“That's interesting,” Stiles says encouragingly. This earns him a small smile from Derek.

“I like you,” he says softly. He's smiling at him, and Stiles is smiling back, and they're leaning toward one another and Stiles is letting his eyes flutter closed when the baby monitor next to him squawks to life and Miles' cry echoes through the room. They jerk back from each other, eyes wide and hearts racing. Derek shoots up from the couch and heads up the stairs.

“I've got him,” he calls needlessly down as he races away from Stiles.

But it's too late, Stiles is so far gone on him.  


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a short one, don't kill me, but HEY I updated the thing, right?? And I'm working on the last bit now. Last semester killed me, guys.

So of course the rest of the day is horribly awkward. Or maybe that's just Derek's default feeling when it comes to interacting with people. Maybe Stiles isn't feeling awkward at all. And isn't this just his life, the second awkward afternoon with the freaking gorgeous manny he'd come here ready to hate, all because Derek was incapable of keeping his mouth shut. 

They throw themselves into playing with the twins, to the point that Miles is nodding off against Derek's chest when Laura comes through the door at the end of the day. Lila is crawling angrily away from Stiles, screeching loudly, heading for a full meltdown. Laura drops her handbag and briefcase and scoops her up and coos into her face. 

“Hello my lovely girl. No screaming, okay? Momma's here now,” she says, and Lila stares blankly for a second before her mouth forms a perfect O and she lets forth the loudest scream Derek has ever heard. Miles startles awake and his tiny face crumples before the tears and wails start. Stiles looks from baby to baby before slowly backing toward the door. 

“You two seem to, uh, have things in hand,” he shouts as he eases outside. He catches Derek's eye before he closes the door and winks- the nerve of him, and offers a small smile. Derek's heart does not jump. 

His arms automatically start rocking Miles and he begins to sway back and forth, eying the reddening face of his nephew. 

“It's all right, little man. You need a little nap, huh? Maybe we played too hard. Too long on the swing out back, right? Yeah, that was my fault. Your uncle is a cowardly man,” he sighs, making his way upstairs and toward the nursery, away from Lila's undying noise. 

“Hell yes he is,” Laura shouts after him. Derek rolls his eyes and nudges the nursery door shut behind him. Once in the quiet, calm room, Miles easily settles down and his head begins to loll on his neck. Derek sets him down in his crib and he blessedly flops over and lets out a baby sized snore. Derek runs his hand over his downy head. He watches him sleep for a few moments before heading back downstairs. Lila's rage is coming to an end, and her screams have settled into a contained whine accompanied by the occasional high-pitched wail. 

Derek collapses onto the couch and watches Laura sway and bounce in front of him. 

“So I know you're a coward, but what exactly did you do today to deserve to be called one?” she asks. Derek groans and lets his head fall back. 

“Do we have to discuss this right now?” 

Laura fixes him with a glare. “No time like the present. Am I right in assuming it has something to do with Stiles?” 

He lifts his head back up and meets her glare with one of his own. “I'm not going to start something with him when I leave for North Carolina next week. It's not... just, it's not going to happen,” he says bleakly. 

“Then come home,” Laura says. 

Derek glances down at himself. “I am currently in Beacon Hills. Sitting on your couch. I don't know how much more home I can get,” he says sardonically. 

“Then what are the chances that's what I meant, you massive moron?” she singsongs, glancing down at the slowly quieting child in her arms. “Come home. For good. Not just because of Stiles,” she says, cutting off his protests before they can start. “Because we miss you. We want you here. I want my kids to grow up with their uncle being more than a face on the computer. And you deserve more than you're living now. You deserve family. And love,” she says gently. 

Lila has finally stopped crying. She twists in her mom's arms until she's facing Derek, and her wide wet eyes stare out of her red face. “Mem mem piff buh,” she intones seriously. 

“Exactly, Lila,” Laura says, smiling down at her daughter. She looks at Derek and raises her eyebrows. “Exactly,” she repeats. 

 

* * *

 

Stiles is frantically restocking the bakery's shelves during the lunch rush, doing his best not to knock anything over but to also make sure the most attractive side of every scone, loaf, and roll is facing outward. Much to Danny's annoyance. 

“C'mon man, just shove them in there, the register is getting backed up,” he whines. 

“Do not test me, Danny. These baked goods will look perfect or so help me,” he threatens. “Call Isaac out from the back. Tell him to dust the flour off and share his angelic smile with the world,” Stiles adds, minutely adjusting a rosemary roll. He keeps stocking through Danny's aggrieved sigh and shout for Isaac. The rush carries on around him. The items are bought almost as soon as he can stock them, and the waiting pans in the back are dwindling when things finally die down. 

“Okay, I think we're good out here,” Danny finally announces. Isaac heaves a sigh of relief and scurries back into the kitchen, ostensibly to work on custom orders, but more likely to avoid having to actually interact with people. 

Stiles is wiping down surfaces and trading easy banter with Danny when Jason walks in with Lila on his hip. 

“Hey, Jason! Hi my little Lila-bean!” he cries, leaning over the counter to tickle her stomach. She squeals and wriggles in her dad's arms. Jason beams down at her and shifts her weight to a better position. 

“We need to pick up a loaf of sourdough, if you have any left,” Jason says.

Stiles walks over to the bread counter and grabs the last loaf of sourdough, wrapping it up for Jason on his way to the register. “Family dinner tonight?” he asks lightly.

Jason reaches for his wallet, fumbling with his daughter in his arms. Stiles leans over the counter and takes her from his grasp and snuggles her close. 

“Oh, thanks. No, just the two of us and the kiddos. I wanted to do something special now that it's just us again,” he says, plunking his cash down between them. 

Stiles' laugh over Lila's slobbery kisses dies out. “What do you mean, just you again?” he asks. Jason reaches over and grabs his daughter back. 

“Yeah, Derek headed back out east. A couple days early, but he said it was important to just get it done. Whatever that means. Anyway, yeah, he headed home, so tomorrow it'll just be you and the twins again! I bet you can't wait to get back to your usual routine with them,” he says easily, as if what he's saying isn't damaging something inside of Stiles. 

“Oh! Well. I mean. Cool, yeah. That's- that's great. Um.” He smiles sickly. Jason doesn't seem to notice. He picks up the bread and heads for the door. Lila peers around him, watching Stiles as they leave. 

“See you in the morning, Stiles! Thanks for the bread,” he calls. Lila flops a hand at him, probably a coincidence and not an actual wave, but Stiles waves back automatically before his hand falls lifelessly to his side. 

“Fuck,” he whispers.

“WE DON'T USE THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE HERE, STILES,” Danny shouts from the other side of the bakery. 

Stiles congratulates himself when he doesn't punch him. 

 

 

 


End file.
